Portable Polysomnography Apparatus and System

ABSTRACT

A portable polysomnography apparatus comprises a unitary flexible structured pillow that is embedded with accelerometers for data collection. The polysomnography apparatus is advantageously sized and shaped to cause the sleeping subject to properly orient the embedded accelerometers for optimal data collection while the subject is asleep. A portable polysomnography system comprises a structured pillow with embedded sensors that are in wireless communication with a companion data collection device that records data from the embedded sensors. In an alternative embodiment, a system may include a structured pillow with an internal pocket into which a single device including embedded sensors and data recording capabilities is inserted.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is generally related to polysomnography and ismore specifically related to zero burden sleep recording in laboratorypolysomnography or ambulatory (i.e., at home) polysomnography.

2. Related Art

Conventional sleep recording or polysomnography is typically performedin a sleep laboratory using a plurality of body-surface sensors(electrodes, elastic bands, etc.) to record various medicallysignificant features of sleep such as electrocardiogram and respiratorymovements or efforts at thorax and abdomen. The attachment of sensorsusing glue and tape and the routing of wires along the skin typicallyrequires ninety minutes or more and is performed by a trainedpolysomnographic technician. Consequently, the pre-sleep period issubstantially modified and the subsequent sleeping conditions are widelyacknowledged to be aberrant. Ambulatory versions of polysomnographyusing portable battery-powered recorders allow conventional sleeprecording to be performed at a subject's home, however the same amountof technician time is required, the same discomforts associated with thebody-surface sensors are present and therefore the pre-sleep period isstill substantially modified resulting in questionable data collection.

In conventional polysomnography, there are several levels of sleeprecording (1) high burden polysomnography that takes place in thelaboratory and is the most intrusive but yields the highest level ofdata collection for analysis; (2) medium burden polysomnographytypically takes place in the subject's home and is slightly lessintrusive but only allows for level three screening, which results inlimited data collection for analysis; and (3) low burden polysomnographysuch as a wrist actigraph that is substantially less intrusive but onlycollects a small amount of information for analysis.

Accordingly, conventional polysomnography suffers from the naturaltension between the necessary intrusion on the subject to record thefeatures of sleep and the related disruption of natural sleep thatresults from this intrusion. Consequently, conventional polysomnographyhas been attempting to solve the problem of how to collect rich datawithout interrupting the sleep patterns of the subject. One solutiondescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,441 (which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety) is to remove the sensors from the skin of thesubject and put the sensors into a mattress upon which the subjectsleeps. While this clearly lowers the intrusion on the subject's sleeppatterns, it reduces the fidelity of the data that is collected becausecardiac data is collected along with respiratory data, making theresulting data sets very difficult to decipher. Therefore, there may bea need for a system or method that may address one or more of theseproblems.

SUMMARY

One or more embodiments consistent with the present application mayaddress some of the issues discussed above.

An embodiment of the present application may include a portablepolysomnography apparatus comprising a unitary flexible structuredpillow that is embedded with one or more sensors for data collection.Further, an embodiment may be sized and shaped to cause the sleepingsubject to orient the embedded sensors for optimal data collection whilethe subject is asleep. Additionally, an embodiment may be formed as astructured pillow to focus the data collection on the subject's head.

According to one aspect of the present application, a polysomnographysystem may include a structured pillow with embedded sensors that are incommunication with a companion data collection device that records datafrom the embedded sensors. According to another aspect of the presentapplication, a system may include a structured pillow with an internalpocket into which a single device including embedded sensors and datarecording capabilities is inserted. In some embodiments, an existingdevice owned by the subject may be modified with a special purposecomputer program and/or hardware device to allow for efficient and lowcost ambulatory polysomnography in the subject's home.

Other features of the present application may become more readilyapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art after reviewing thefollowing detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and operation of the present invention will be understoodfrom a review of the following detailed description and the accompanyingdrawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts and inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example polysomnography systemaccording to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2A-2C are block diagrams illustrating example alternative shapesfor a polysomnography apparatus according to an embodiment of theinvention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are block diagrams illustrating an examplepolysomnography apparatus with an internal pocket having a pocketopening on the surface of the polysomnography apparatus according to asecond embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 4A-4E are graph diagrams illustrating example polysomnography datasets collected by an apparatus according to an embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example wired or wirelessprocessor enabled device that may be used in connection with one or moreembodiments described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain embodiments disclosed herein provide for a polysomnographyapparatus that comprises a structured pillow with one or more embeddedsensors that are communicatively coupled with an integrated or remotedata collection device. After reading this description it will becomeapparent to one skilled in the art how to implement the presentapplication in various alternative embodiments and alternative uses.However, although various embodiments of the present application may bedescribed herein, it is understood that these embodiments are presentedby way of example only, and not limitation. As such, this detaileddescription of various embodiments should not be construed to limit thescope or breadth of the present invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example polysomnography systemaccording to an embodiment of the invention. In the illustratedembodiment of FIG. 1, the system comprises a structured pillow 100having one or more sensor devices 200. The sensor devices 200 may becommunicatively coupled with a data collection device 300 that has anassociated data storage area 400. In other embodiments, the one or moresensor devices 200 may themselves include an associated data storagearea. The one or more sensor devices 200 take measurements and readingsthat are related to a subject who is using the polysomnography systemand communicates those measurements and readings to the data collectiondevice. In other words, the one or more sensor devices 200 takemeasurements and readings of a subject using the structured pillow 100.In some embodiments, the measurements and readings may also be stored onthe one or more sensor devices 200 themselves prior to or aftercommunication of the measurements and readings to the data collectiondevice 300. The communication of the measurements and readings may takeplace wirelessly, for example via a wireless communication network, aBluetooth® link, an infrared link or other wireless communication link.The communication of the measurements and readings may also be performedvia wired communication. The sensor devices and the data collectiondevice can be any sort of processor enabled device such as laterdescribed with respect to FIG. 4.

The structured pillow 100 may comprise a unitary flexible material suchas a foam or another material that regains its shape after compression.In one embodiment, the structured pillow 100 may alternatively comprisea layered ply of material that is also unitary and flexible despitehaving a composite construction. In one embodiment the structured pillow100 has a top 101, bottom 102 and a plurality of sides 103. Thestructured pillow 100 may be small and may naturally focus on the headof the subject during sleep.

In one embodiment, the one or more sensors 200 can be optimally orientedinside the flexible material of the structured pillow 100 in order tosense ballistocardiogram signals from the heart of the subject and toadditionally sense respiratory effort signals from the breathing of thesubject. Specifically, the longitudinal coupling of the head of thesubject to the thorax of the subject causes the head to be a reliablesource of the ballistocardiogram signal. This may allow robust sensingof the ballistocardiogram signal in a pillow device that is naturallyfocused on the head of the subject during sleep. Additionally, althoughthe head does not expand and contract as the subject breathes (e.g., inpart because the skull is thick and inflexible), the movement of thethorax as the subject breathes causes the head to tilt on the structuredpillow 100 and thereby the sensors 200 in the structured pillow 100 maysense respiratory effect signals by sensing the movement of thesubject's head on the structured pillow 100.

In one embodiment, the structured pillow 100 may be augmented with anuncomfortable material on the surface or disposed adjacent to thesurface to cause the sleeping subject to orient the structured pillow ina desired fashion that optimizes the location of the sensors 200 to thehead of the sleeping subject. Examples of uncomfortable material mayinclude any material that causes the subject to attempt to avoid thematerial such as a rough fabric, a rigid plastic or metallic portion, orany other material that provides a haptic cue causing the subject toadjust the placement of pillow that may be apparent to a person ofordinary skill in the art. Other alternatives for encouraging thesleeping subject to orient the structured pillow 100 in a desired waymay also be employed, for example the shape of the pillow 100 can bedesigned with this purpose in mind.

In some embodiments, a single sensor 200 may be located in the center ofthe structured pillow 100 in order to normalize the sensing of thesignal during sleep regardless of the orientation of the structuredpillow 100. In some embodiments, the vertical placement of one or moreof the sensors 200 may be biased to be positioned closer to thesubject's head than the mattress. In some embodiments, the one or moresensors 200 in the structured pillow may be three dimensional/tri-axialaccelerometers. However, alternative types of sensors 200 may beselected to measure the subject's head movement with respect to thestructured pillow 100 as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skillin the art.

The small portable nature of the structured pillow 100 may allow thepillow 100 to be used in a variety of applications and particularly forambulatory polysomnography. For example, a patient may take thestructured pillow 100 and data collection device 300 home and use thepillow 100 overnight and then return the pillow 100 and data collectiondevice 300 to the doctor for analysis. In some embodiments, the datacollection device 300 and sensors 200 may be sealed inside thestructured pillow for security and simplicity. In an alternativeembodiment, the data collection device 300 may be an application that isdownloaded onto a wireless communication device (e.g., a smartphone) ofthe subject and configured to communicate with the sensors 200 in thepillow. The application may then send the data to the doctor foranalysis via a data communication network (e.g., cellular communicationsnetwork).

In some embodiments, a sensor device 200 may be provided to the subjectand then connected to a wireless communication device 300 of the subjectand inserted into the structured pillow 100 through a pocket opening 105formed in one or more of the top 101, bottom 102, or sides 103 (shown inFIGS. 3A and 3B). The sensor device 220 in such an embodiment mayinclude both the sensors 200 as well as the data collection device 300(shown in FIG. 3B). The sensor device 220 may then be returned to thedoctor for analysis of the collected data.

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate example alternative shapes for a polysomnographyapparatus 2, 3, 4 according to an embodiment of the invention. In theillustrated embodiments, the polysomnography apparatus 2 includes astructured pillow 110 having an oval shape in FIG. 2A, thepolysomnography apparatus 3 includes a structured pillow 120 having atrapezoidal shape in FIG. 2B and the polysomnography apparatus 4includes a structured pillow 130 having a horseshoe shape in FIG. 2C. Aswill be understood by those skilled in the art, alternative shapes mayalso be employed to affect the subject's orientation of the pillow whilesleeping in order to optimize the positioning of the sensor devices withrespect to the head of the subject.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an example polysomnography apparatus 1 withan internal pocket 110 having a pocket opening 105 on the surface of thepolysomnography apparatus 1 and including an integrated sensor deviceand data collection device 220 positioned in the internal pocketaccording to an embodiment of the invention.

In the illustrated embodiment, a portable sensor device 220 may beinserted into the pocket 110 of the structured pillow 100. The datacollection device may be integrated with the sensor device in such anembodiment. In other embodiments, there may be a plurality of pockets inthe structured pillow so that one or more sensor devices can be insertedinto the pockets, depending on the desired data collection. Thesesensors can be dynamically configured to communicate, wirelessly orthrough a wired connection, with a remote data collection device that isplaced near the pillow. The data collection device may alternatively beplaced inside an additional pocket of the structured pillow.

In the above discussed embodiments, the sensors 200 are disposed within(i.e., in the interior of) the pillow 100. However, in some embodiments,the sensors 200 may be formed to have a thin-profile and may bepositioned near the surface of the pillow 100 or may be adhered to theexterior surface of the pillow 100. In some embodiments, the sensors 200may be disposed between the exterior surface of the pillow 100 and apillow case (not labeled). In other embodiments, the sensors 200 may beattached to the outside of the pillow case.

FIGS. 4A-4E are graph diagrams illustrating example polysomnography datasets that may be collected by an apparatus according to an embodiment ofthe invention. FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate data collected at differentsample rates over different time intervals (30 seconds (FIG. 4A) and 5minutes (FIG. 4B). Strips (1) illustrate raw sensor pillow data. Strips(2)-(4) illustrate versions of respiratory movement data from Strip (1)after application of strict band-pass filtering. Further, strip (5)represents snoring measured during the measured epoch and strips (6)-(8)represented sensed body movement during the measured epoch. It should benoted that strips (3) and (4) have similar appearances over this epochbecause there no sensible body movement. This also explains why thereare no movement codings in Strips 7 & 8. Further, Strip 9 illustratesinter-beat-intervals, and Strip 10 indexes R-wave locations during theEpoch. As shown by these figures, using the sensor pillow allowssampling with greater sensitivity compared to wrist actigraphy sensorsallowing sampling at higher sample rates (20 htz or greater for thepillow sensor compared once or twice per minute for wrist actigraphy).

Further, FIGS. 4C and 4D illustrate data collected over multiple nightscompared to a most recent night. Specifically, FIG. 4C illustratescomparisons between averages over a seven day period (Bars) and averagesfor a single day. In FIG. 4C, strip (1) represents heart rate, strip (2)represents Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and strip (3) representsquiet sleep time in minutes. Additionally, FIG. 4D illustratescomparisons between average data over all nights and a most recentnight. In FIG. 4D, strip (1) represents heart rate, strip (2) representsbreath to breath correlations, and strip (3) represents median sleepquality. These visualization paradigms are merely examples and othervisualization paradigms may be used to visualize data collected usingexample embodiments of the present application.

Further, FIG. 4E illustrates data recorded over a three month period. InFIG. 4E, Strip (1) is the sleep period according to clock times andstrip (2) is minutes in bed and in presumed sleep. Further, strip (3) ismean all-night heart rate and strip (4) is a measure of breathingregularity relevant to sleep-disordered breathing. Further, strip 5 is ameasure of very quiet sleep as indexed by respiration and strip 6 isseconds of snoring per epoch. These are all indices that may beextracted from sensor pillow data that are not available fromconventional wrist actigraphy. Additionally, these indices illustratethe principal that low-burden (or zero burden) imposed on a subjectusing a sensor pillow (as compared to other polysomnography systems) mayallow for very long extended periods of time and potentially, evenindefinitely. It should be noted that gaps shown in the data of FIG. 4Erepresent nights when the subject was unavailable to use the sensorpillow due to travel, or, in a few cases, data excluded due to theimposition of strict quality criteria.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example wired or wirelesssystem 550 that may be used in connection with various embodimentsdescribed herein. For example the system 550 may be used as or inconjunction with a sensor device or a data collection device aspreviously described with respect to FIGS. 1 and 3A-3B. The system 550can be a conventional personal computer, computer server, personaldigital assistant, smart phone, tablet computer, or any other processorenabled device that is capable of wired or wireless data communication.Other computer systems and/or architectures may be also used, as will beclear to those skilled in the art.

The system 550 preferably includes one or more processors, such asprocessor 560. Additional processors may be provided, such as anauxiliary processor to manage input/output, an auxiliary processor toperform floating point mathematical operations, a special-purposemicroprocessor having an architecture suitable for fast execution ofsignal processing algorithms (e.g., digital signal processor), a slaveprocessor subordinate to the main processing system (e.g., back-endprocessor), an additional microprocessor or controller for dual ormultiple processor systems, or a coprocessor. Such auxiliary processorsmay be discrete processors or may be integrated with the processor 560.

The processor 560 is preferably connected to a communication bus 555.The communication bus 555 may include a data channel for facilitatinginformation transfer between storage and other peripheral components ofthe system 550. The communication bus 555 further may provide a set ofsignals used for communication with the processor 560, including a databus, address bus, and control bus (not shown). The communication bus 555may comprise any standard or non-standard bus architecture such as, forexample, bus architectures compliant with industry standard architecture(“ISA”), extended industry standard architecture (“EISA”), Micro ChannelArchitecture (“MCA”), peripheral component interconnect (“PCI”) localbus, or standards promulgated by the Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers (“IEEE”) including IEEE 488 general-purposeinterface bus (“GPIB”), IEEE 696/S-100, and the like.

System 550 preferably includes a main memory 565 and may also include asecondary memory 570. The main memory 565 provides storage ofinstructions and data for programs executing on the processor 560. Themain memory 565 is typically semiconductor-based memory such as dynamicrandom access memory (“DRAM”) and/or static random access memory(“SRAM”). Other semiconductor-based memory types include, for example,synchronous dynamic random access memory (“SDRAM”), Rambus dynamicrandom access memory (“RDRAM”), ferroelectric random access memory(“FRAM”), and the like, including read only memory (“ROM”).

The secondary memory 570 may optionally include a internal memory 575and/or a removable medium 580, for example a floppy disk drive, amagnetic tape drive, a compact disc (“CD”) drive, a digital versatiledisc (“DVD”) drive, etc. The removable medium 580 is read from and/orwritten to in a well-known manner. Removable storage medium 580 may be,for example, a floppy disk, magnetic tape, CD, DVD, SD card, etc.

The removable storage medium 580 is a non-transitory computer readablemedium having stored thereon computer executable code (i.e., software)and/or data. The computer software or data stored on the removablestorage medium 580 is read into the system 550 for execution by theprocessor 560.

In alternative embodiments, secondary memory 570 may include othersimilar means for allowing computer programs or other data orinstructions to be loaded into the system 550. Such means may include,for example, an external storage medium 595 and an interface 570.Examples of external storage medium 595 may include an external harddisk drive or an external optical drive, or and external magneto-opticaldrive.

Other examples of secondary memory 570 may include semiconductor-basedmemory such as programmable read-only memory (“PROM”), erasableprogrammable read-only memory (“EPROM”), electrically erasable read-onlymemory (“EEPROM”), or flash memory (block oriented memory similar toEEPROM). Also included are any other removable storage media 580 andcommunication interface 590, which allow software and data to betransferred from an external medium 595 to the system 550.

System 550 may also include a communication interface 590. Thecommunication interface 590 allows software and data to be transferredbetween system 550 and external devices (e.g. printers), networks, orinformation sources. For example, computer software or executable codemay be transferred to system 550 from a network server via communicationinterface 590. Examples of communication interface 590 include a modem,a network interface card (“NIC”), a wireless data card, a communicationsport, a PCMCIA slot and card, an infrared interface, and an IEEE 1394fire-wire, just to name a few.

Communication interface 590 preferably implements industry promulgatedprotocol standards, such as Ethernet IEEE 802 standards, Fiber Channel,digital subscriber line (“DSL”), asynchronous digital subscriber line(“ADSL”), frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (“ATM”), integrateddigital services network (“ISDN”), personal communications services(“PCS”), transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (“TCP/IP”),serial line Internet protocol/point to point protocol (“SLIP/PPP”), andso on, but may also implement customized or non-standard interfaceprotocols as well.

Software and data transferred via communication interface 590 aregenerally in the form of electrical communication signals 605. Thesesignals 605 are preferably provided to communication interface 590 via acommunication channel 600. In one embodiment, the communication channel600 may be a wired or wireless network, or any variety of othercommunication links. Communication channel 600 carries signals 605 andcan be implemented using a variety of wired or wireless communicationmeans including wire or cable, fiber optics, conventional phone line,cellular phone link, wireless data communication link, radio frequency(“RF”) link, or infrared link, just to name a few.

Computer executable code (i.e., computer programs or software) is storedin the main memory 565 and/or the secondary memory 570. Computerprograms can also be received via communication interface 590 and storedin the main memory 565 and/or the secondary memory 570. Such computerprograms, when executed, enable the system 550 to perform the variousfunctions of the present invention as previously described.

In this description, the term “computer readable medium” is used torefer to any non-transitory computer readable storage media used toprovide computer executable code (e.g., software and computer programs)to the system 550. Examples of these media include main memory 565,secondary memory 570 (including internal memory 575, removable medium580, and external storage medium 595), and any peripheral devicecommunicatively coupled with communication interface 590 (including anetwork information server or other network device). Thesenon-transitory computer readable mediums are means for providingexecutable code, programming instructions, and software to the system550.

In an embodiment that is implemented using software, the software may bestored on a computer readable medium and loaded into the system 550 byway of removable medium 580, I/O interface 585, or communicationinterface 590. In such an embodiment, the software is loaded into thesystem 550 in the form of electrical communication signals 605. Thesoftware, when executed by the processor 560, preferably causes theprocessor 560 to perform the inventive features and functions previouslydescribed herein.

The system 550 also includes optional wireless communication componentsthat facilitate wireless communication over a voice and over a datanetwork. The wireless communication components comprise an antennasystem 610, a radio system 615 and a baseband system 620. In the system550, radio frequency (“RF”) signals are transmitted and received overthe air by the antenna system 610 under the management of the radiosystem 615.

In one embodiment, the antenna system 610 may comprise one or moreantennae and one or more multiplexors (not shown) that perform aswitching function to provide the antenna system 610 with transmit andreceive signal paths. In the receive path, received RF signals can becoupled from a multiplexor to a low noise amplifier (not shown) thatamplifies the received RF signal and sends the amplified signal to theradio system 615.

In alternative embodiments, the radio system 615 may comprise one ormore radios that are configured to communicate over various frequencies.In one embodiment, the radio system 615 may combine a demodulator (notshown) and modulator (not shown) in one integrated circuit (“IC”). Thedemodulator and modulator can also be separate components. In theincoming path, the demodulator strips away the RF carrier signal leavinga baseband receive audio signal, which is sent from the radio system 615to the baseband system 620.

If the received signal contains audio information, then baseband system620 decodes the signal and converts it to an analog signal. Then thesignal is amplified and sent to a speaker. The baseband system 620 alsoreceives analog audio signals from a microphone. These analog audiosignals are converted to digital signals and encoded by the basebandsystem 620. The baseband system 620 also codes the digital signals fortransmission and generates a baseband transmit audio signal that isrouted to the modulator portion of the radio system 615. The modulatormixes the baseband transmit audio signal with an RF carrier signalgenerating an RF transmit signal that is routed to the antenna systemand may pass through a power amplifier (not shown). The power amplifieramplifies the RF transmit signal and routes it to the antenna system 610where the signal is switched to the antenna port for transmission.

The baseband system 620 is also communicatively coupled with theprocessor 560. The central processing unit 560 has access to datastorage areas 565 and 570. The central processing unit 560 is preferablyconfigured to execute instructions (i.e., computer programs or software)that can be stored in the memory 565 or the secondary memory 570.Computer programs can also be received from the baseband processor 610and stored in the data storage area 565 or in secondary memory 570, orexecuted upon receipt. Such computer programs, when executed, enable thesystem 550 to perform the various functions of the present invention aspreviously described. For example, data storage areas 565 and 570 mayinclude various software modules (not shown) that were previouslydescribed.

The system 550 also includes sensor components that facilitate datacollection from the sleeping subject. The sensor components comprise anaccelerometer 620, a piezo-electric transducer capable of detectingmovement on the pillow or any other type of sensor capable of detectingaudio information, vibration, movement, pressure, force and othersignals that are desirable in polysomnography analysis. Examples ofother sensors may include electromyography sensors, electro-oculographysensors, nasal pressure sensors, electroencephalography sensors, pulseoximetry sensors, or any other sensor signals as would apparent to aperson of ordinary skill in the art. As discussed above, the sensorcomponents may be embedded in a structured pillow according variousembodiments of the present application. Additional sensors may beprovided outside of the pillow and communicating with the datacollection device, as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill inthe art.

In the system 550, data collected by the accelerometer or other sensors625 may be stored in main memory 565 or secondary memory 570 can also beprovided to a remote device via the wireless communication components610, 615 and 620 or the communication interface 590. Example sets ofdata collected by the accelerometer 625 were previously described withrespect to FIGS. 4A-4E.

The accelerometer 625 is also communicatively coupled with the processor560. The central processing unit 560 has access to data storage areas565 and 570. The central processing unit 560 is preferably configured toexecute instructions (i.e., computer programs or software) that can bestored in the memory 565 or the secondary memory 570 in order toimplement the desired data collection by the accelerometer.

In one embodiment, one or more sensors and/or accelerometers may beintegrated with a charging system (not shown) that attaches to awireless communication device. The charging unit may advantageouslyrecharge a battery in the wireless communication device while alsocomprising more sensitive sensors and/or accelerometers for use with thepolysomnography system.

In one embodiment, the polysomnography system may include softwaremodules that, upon determination that the subject is asleep (e.g., bydetection of sleep onset/sleep pattern signals), are configured towirelessly turn off “go-to-sleep” music being played by thepolysomnography system or to wirelessly turn off a radio or televisionset that is in proximity of the subject.

Various embodiments may also be implemented primarily in hardware using,for example, components such as application specific integrated circuits(“ASICs”), or field programmable gate arrays (“FPGAs”). Implementationof a hardware state machine capable of performing the functionsdescribed herein will also be apparent to those skilled in the relevantart. Various embodiments may also be implemented using a combination ofboth hardware and software.

Furthermore, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the variousillustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and method stepsdescribed in connection with the above described figures and theembodiments disclosed herein can often be implemented as electronichardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearlyillustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, variousillustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have beendescribed above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether suchfunctionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon theparticular application and design constraints imposed on the overallsystem. Skilled persons can implement the described functionality invarying ways for each particular application, but such implementationdecisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from thescope of the invention. In addition, the grouping of functions within amodule, block, circuit or step is for ease of description. Specificfunctions or steps can be moved from one module, block or circuit toanother without departing from the invention.

Moreover, the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and methodsdescribed in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can beimplemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digitalsignal processor (“DSP”), an ASIC, FPGA or other programmable logicdevice, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components,or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions describedherein. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor, but in thealternative, the processor can be any processor, controller,microcontroller, or state machine. A processor can also be implementedas a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of aDSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or moremicroprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other suchconfiguration.

Additionally, the steps of a method or algorithm described in connectionwith the embodiments disclosed herein can be embodied directly inhardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in acombination of the two. A software module can reside in RAM memory,flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, harddisk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage mediumincluding a network storage medium. An exemplary storage medium can becoupled to the processor such the processor can read information from,and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, thestorage medium can be integral to the processor. The processor and thestorage medium can also reside in an ASIC.

The above description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enableany person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Variousmodifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art, and the generic principles described herein can beapplied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scopeof the invention. Thus, it is to be understood that the description anddrawings presented herein represent a presently preferred embodiment ofthe invention and are therefore representative of the subject matterwhich is broadly contemplated by the present invention. It is furtherunderstood that the scope of the present invention fully encompassesother embodiments that may become obvious to those skilled in the artand that the scope of the present invention is accordingly not limited.

1. A polysomnography system comprising: a pillow comprising a structuredfoam; at least one sensor device configured to sense data from asleeping subject, the at least one sensor device embedded in thestructured foam of the pillow; a data collection device comprising anon-transitory computer readable medium configured to store executableprogrammed modules and data, wherein the data collection device iscommunicatively coupled with the at least one sensor and stores datasensed by the at least one sensor in the non-transitory computerreadable medium.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least onesensor is a tri-axial accelerometer.
 3. The system of claim 1, furthercomprising at least two sensor devices embedded in the structured foampillow.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor deviceis integral with the data collection device.
 5. The system of claim 4,wherein the integrated sensor device and data collection devicecomprises a cellular telephone.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein thedata collection device and the at least one sensor device arecommunicatively coupled via a wireless communication link.
 7. The systemof claim 1, further comprising at least one secondary sensor configuredto measure secondary patient information, wherein the secondary sensoris configured to transmit the secondary patient information to the datacollection device.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the data collectiondevice and the at least one sensor device are communicatively coupledvia a wireless communication link.
 9. The system of claim 7, wherein theat least one secondary sensor one of an electromyography sensor, anelectro-oculography sensor, a nasal pressure sensor and anelectroencephalography sensor.
 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the atleast one secondary sensor comprises one or more pulse oximetry sensors.11. A polysomnography pillow comprising: a pillow body comprisingstructured foam; at least one sensor device configured to sense datafrom a sleeping subject, the at least one sensor device embedded in thestructured foam of the pillow, wherein the at least one sensor device isconfigured to transmit sensed data to a data collection device.
 12. Thepillow of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor is a tri-axialaccelerometer.
 13. The pillow of claim 11, further comprising at leasttwo sensor devices embedded in the structured foam of the pillow. 14.The pillow of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor device is formedintegrally with the data collection device.
 15. The pillow of claim 14,wherein the integrated sensor device and data collection devicecomprises a cellular telephone.
 16. The pillow of claim 11, wherein theat least one sensor device is communicatively coupled with the datacollection device via a wireless communication link.
 17. The pillow ofclaim 1, further comprising at least one secondary sensor configured tomeasure secondary patient information, wherein the secondary sensor isalso configured to transmit the secondary patient information to thedata collection device.
 18. The pillow of claim 17, wherein the at leastone sensor device is configured to communicative with the datacollection device via a wireless communication link.
 19. The pillow ofclaim 17, wherein the at least one secondary sensor comprises at leastone of an electromyography sensor, an electro-oculography sensor, anasal pressure sensor and an electroencephalography sensor.
 20. Thepillow of claim 17, wherein the at least one secondary sensor comprisesone or more pulse oximetry sensors.